(No. 367-0155) USAID/INEPAL Kamnndu. Nepal November 1986 United States Agency for- in ecationai OevefopmanL ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYSIS RAPTI DEVELOPMENT PROJECT (No. 367-0155) Office Prepared by : Rural Development USAID/NEPAL Kathmandu Incorporating analyses by : Sheladia Associates 1986 Date . November . / TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No. 5 I. THE INSTITUTIONAL SETTING 5 A. Indigenous Institutions 6 B. Political Institutions 7 C. HMG Administration 1 ) Private Scctor D. The Assi! .ance E. Foreig:i 13 DEVELOPMENT 1I. HMG POLICY FOa RURAL 13 A. Evolution of Decentralization 14 and By-Laws B. Decentralization Act 17 Secretariat C. The District Panchayat 17 D. Roles of Regional Offices 17 and User Groups E. Village Panchayats is F. Some Issues 19 ZONE: THE INSTITUTIONAL FIT III. RURAL DEVELOPMENT - RAPTI 19 A. Design Assumptions 21 and Constraints B. Implementation Realities 21 FORESTRY PRODUCTION STRATEGIES IV. PROJECT AGRICULTURE AND 23 A. Overall Strategy 24 B. Private Sector Stimulation 26 Development Management C. on Potential and Demand 26 D. Production Support based 27 DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM V. DISTRICT INSTITUTIONAL 27 and Coordination A. District Planning 32 B. Women in Development 42 C. Rural Works DEVELOPMENT VI. PRIVATE SECTOR E8 THE PROJECT COORDINATOR'S OFFICE- VII. MULTIDISTRICT SUPPORT -- 5P Functional Roles of the PCO A. the PCO 61 B. Structure and Staffing of 65 VIII. PROJECT MANAGEMENT 65 A. Project Management 66 B. Project Contracting LIST OF TABLES Paqe. No. 15 Processes for RDP 1. Planning and Monitoring Plan 30 2. Illustrative Local Training 33 Training Achievements 3. Phase I PCRW Progam and 34 Summary 4. NFY 2043/044 WID Program 41 Outputs under RDP 5. Planned WID Program 44 6. Phase I Rural Works Achievements Construction 7. Planned Rural WorksRDP Program under Office 8. Proposed Project Coordinator's 60 Organization the Project 9. Proposed Staffing of E2 Coordinator's Office 63 Assistance under PSO 10. Illustrative Technical 64 Assistance Plan 11. Illustrative Peace Corps DEFINITIONS ACRONYMS, ABBREVIATIONS AND of Nepal. Agricultural Development Bank ADB, ADB/N Development Officer AL0 District Agricultural Agricultural Inputs Corporation AIC Internlational Development, AID/W U.S. Agency for Washington Office Appropriate Technology Unii; ATU Program CSP Cropping Systems CY Calendar Year Marketinq Service Department of Food and Agricultural DFAMS Controller or Officer DFC, DFO District Forest into 75 basic administrative units District One of the which Nepal is divided Livestock Development and Animal DLDAH Department of Health Agriculture DOA Department of Department of Forest DOF Soil Conservation and DSCWM Department of Management Watershed 1 - September 3n1) U.S. Fiscal Year (October FY Government of Nepal GON His Majesty's Ha(s) hectare(s) Nepal His Majesty's Government of HMG; HMG/1 sub-division of the District. Ilaka An administrative district has 9 Ilakas. Each Technical Assistant JT/JTA Junior Technician/Junior Kilometer(s) Km(s) Development Officer LDO District Local Agriculture MOA Ministry of Ministry of Finance MOF Panchayat and Local Development MPLD Ministry of tons MT Metric July 15 - July 14) Nepal Fiscal Year (approx. NFY Planning Commission NPC National sub-unit of District. Village, an administrative ATU Panchayat Unit of ADB in Tulsipur formerly PEU Private Enterprise Panchayat Forest Papti PF Project -- Rural Area Development: Phase I Phase I Rapti Zone Project (367-0129) Document PID Project Identification PP Project Paper Protected Forest PPF Panchayat Trial Pre-Production Verification PPVT Project (367-0155) RDP Rapti Development Rs Rupees Small Farmer Development Program SFDP Agency for International USAID/N United States Development, Nepal Mission administrative unit, usually Ward The smallest hamlets. There comprising a number of small are 9 wards in a Village Panchayat. Development Officer WDO District Women I/ [. THE INSTITUTIONAL SETTING A. Indigenous Institutions in Rapti of land and labor resources Power, and hence control gender, primarily by three key factors: Zone, is determined acquired, but ethnicity. Wealth can be wealth, and caste or These key and caste are inherited characteristics. gender indigenous social, cultural, are firmly embedded in to determinants in the Zone. Each is important and economic systems the religious in terms of its impact on contemplated project activities to be types of participation likely allocation of resources and encountered during implementation. of gender discrimination existence of and manifestations hence The males have more power, and are relativel)y straightforward: legal than do women. Although Nepal's better control of resources basic and modified to provide for code is being challenged is a long way legal rights for women, there inheritance and other gaining access to households have difficulty to go. Women headed represented at the resources. Women are rarely credit and other Women do not get or District Panchayat Assemblies. Village training and other developmcnt as frequently as men for selected is thus a pervasive and Gender discrimination in Rapti benefits. which development efforts fundamental institution within Zone are carried out. caste or ethnicity, is more The second determinant, derives from means of describing the situation complex._/ One point, there are system. From this vantage the Hindu caste categories. The high 1hindu essentially three basic socio-cultural and the and Chhetries (including Thakuris) castes of Brahmins second major group castes form one group. The lower occupational Kham Magars, other Rapti Zone includes the Magars, is the in Tharus. The third group groups, and the Zone. Tibeto-Burmese in the bazaar towns of the Newars, mostly traders located the land, they generally form Although, some Newars do own class in Rapti Zone. entrepreneurial or merchant the of groupings is overlaid by This rough characterization once area. What is now Rapti Zone feudal system in the Salyan historical rajas, or principalities. of several independent were consisted parts of present-day Rolpa, and Rukum, with each including progression kings, with a fairly linear ruled by Thakuri (Chhetri) in Rukum and continuing strong dispute in one household in Salyan had a Musikot and Rukumkot. Pyuthan between key households in of the "Institutional directly incorporates much I/ This analysis prepared in February 1986 Privatization Technical Analysis", Project ind for the Rapti Development by Sheladia Associates, Inc. Indentification Document. from the PADCO Regional Assessment, 2/ The discussion is derived 7ppendix 1. only popl aiLed b and Deokhuri valleys were Brahmin king. Dang as leaders. As some stronper households serving Tharus, with Brahmin-Chetri eradicated, however, the powerful malaria was most Tharu land and from the hills appropriated families today. Rolpa was only created control the resources an identity effectively 1963, and has yet to find an administrative unit in as powers. in terms of cohesive indigenous indigenous institutions discussion of other relevant Further Analysis. is provided in the Social Soundness B. Political Institutions of government was established The Partyless Panchayat System system a decade of seeking for a suitable in Nepal in 1962, after always held at the Although direct elections were of government. for most years the level of the system, the ward, lowest of the system was determined only representation at higher levels In 1980, a major national referendum through indirect election. reformed to provide and the Panchayat system subsequently was held of government. Given the fact direct elections at all levels for there was virtually no popular that under Rana rule (1846-1951) the move to direct democratic participation in politics, is somewhat remarkable. government in only 30 years the of the rest of the country, In Rapti Zone, as in much of their hold and most peo-le are aware Panchayat system has taken their village panchayaL. National-level ward politics and are frequently still the Rastriya Panchayat (RP), elections, for of the area. Thus in by the former ruling households stand dominated that once vied as r aa now the same Thakuri hcuseholds Rukum election as RP member. In each other every 5 years for against vie, through the indigenous Pyuthan, several Brahmin families had one elections. Dang has normally system and in the national among various RP member, and a second selected wealthy Tharu cohesive and the landlords. Salyan is the most Brahmin-Chhetri support for a strong Newar leader exception, with almost universal And Rolpa has one strong and who is nationally influential. elsewhere. great deal of factionalism respected Magar leader and key in terms of development The District Panchayat, now is much less tied to the historical planning and implementation, guarantee the key households can still power structure. Although changes "favored sons", in all districts the election of numerous Panchayat in new demands on the District have been occuring. The of the older imply new skills, and some terms of actual governance Although tim teh1am politicians are now retiring. and less educated anecdotal accounts to gather any detailed statistics, was unable the District Assemblies in that approximately half of suggest under 40. This age difference Salyan, Pyuthan and Dang are Rukum, who have grown up during that the members are people implies are more likely to be educated democratic era, that they of Nepal's they may have a different set than before, and that in general 6 to represent. Although